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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 4m

My small contribution to today's great RF report on wealth inequality was to have us headline with the metric for measuring wealth gaps that I first came across in the work of the late John Hills

www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...

Lifetime of earnings not enough for UK workers to join wealthiest 10%, report says

Research finds it would take average worker saving all their earnings for 52 years to match wealth of richest 10th of society

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mike Brewer

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 19h

Great column from @sarahoconnorft.ft.com where she casts her forensic eye over the introduction of collective bargaining in the social care sector. TL:DR it could work given adult care is a weird market largely paid for by local authorities; but as usual will there be enough cash? on.ft.com/4mSfeVm

The most radical Labour plan you haven’t heard about

Collective bargaining in social care could save an ailing sector — but only if it’s done properly

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 7d

There's good news and bad news on household incomes.

While we've seen healthy income growth in the past 18 months, incomes have yet to recover from the cost of living crisis.

⬇️

1. the good news
Real Household Disposable Incomes (RHDI) have grown by a healthy £1,100 over the past 18 months (between the end of 2023 and mid 2025).

2. the bad news
So why don’t we feel richer?

Because incomes this summer were still £110 lower than they were in 2021, just before the cost of living crisis started.

3. beneath the averages

RHDI tells us about averages, but this recent growth will not have been shared evenly.

Food prices are rising sharply. Energy bills are going up right when the temperature is going down. Private rents are out-pacing wages.

Many families are still feeling the pinch.

4. lots of ground to make up

Over the past twenty years, Britain's living standards slowdown has cost families £20,000 a year in lost income.

Lifting living standards is the defining challenge facing Britain today.

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 8d

...while also diminishing the importance of the remaining contributory benefits?

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · 13d

Amid reports that MPs and an advisory taskforce will recommend scrapping the two-child limit on benefits, it's worth noting that this step would be the most targeted and cost-effective way for the Government to meet its aim of reducing child poverty ⤵️

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Nye Cominetti @nyecominetti.bsky.social · 14d

Helpful and easy to read blog from ONS on their improvements to labour market stats. More of this kind of thing, please ! Couple of things to highlight
blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/09/23/l...

Lifting the lid on our work to improve labour market statistics

The ONS’s new Director-General for Surveys and Economic and Social Statistics, James Benford, talks through work going on beyond the scenes to improve our statistics after a week with several major

blog.ons.gov.uk

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 15d

Useful reminder from Peter Kellner on the problems we refuse to acknowledge are getting better, and the politics of hopelessness that this breeds

open.substack.com/pub/kellnerp...

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 18d

You now own two inflatable kayaks and a set of garden furniture.

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

JamesSmithRF @jamessmithrf.bsky.social · 21d

UK CPI inflation was 3.8% in August, in line with market and BoE expectations. Below the top line there was some good news on underlying inflation but food price inflation accelerated to 5.1%, increasing pressure on struggling families. Short thread to follow...

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 29d

This report, which I’ve worked on round the edges, is really interesting & contains some good news on both savings & credit card debt

BUT sign up to find out why this hasn’t done much for the sense of economic security & some critical caveats, like energy arrears

Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Sep 8

🚨Event Wednesday🚨

Savings are supposed to be the first line of defence against financial shocks. But in reality, millions of families across Britain don’t have enough to be more than a few pay-days away from trouble.

Join us and our expert panel to discuss.

Register ➡️ buff.ly/8qwdAnr

Advert for event Stronger Shock Absorbers. One Wednesday 10th September at 11am - 12.15pm.

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 28d

bsky.app/profile/mrjo...

John Crace @mrjohncrace.bsky.social · 28d

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reality begins to kick in for Badenoch – though it’s not really her fault | John Crace

Talking about the welfare bill in front of the cameras, the Conservative leader rages against her inner futility

www.theguardian.com

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · 28d

Not too late to sign up for our event on low-to-middle income Britain's financial resilience (on tomorrow/Wednesday morning).

www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/stron...

Stronger shock absorbers • Resolution Foundation

Savings are supposed to be the first line of defence against financial shocks. But in reality, millions of families across Britain don’t have enough to be more than a few pay-days away from trouble. F...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

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Resolution Foundation @resfoundation.bsky.social · Sep 2

🚨 We're hiring for a Principal Economist 👀

This is a unique opportunity for an individual who can conduct economic and policy analysis independently at an advanced level.

Full details here ⤵️ buff.ly/2mcx5aR

Image with text: We're hiring! Principal Economist or Researcher ( Fixed term - 15 months)
Design and deliver an ambitious programme of research and policy on tax. Apply by 08:59am on Sept 19th

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Anand Menon @anandmenon.bsky.social · Sep 2

IT'S OUT! @ukandeu.bsky.social brand new survey of the policy challenges confronting the UK, done in partnership with the wonderful @resfoundation.bsky.social ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/poli... 1/???

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

JamesSmithRF @jamessmithrf.bsky.social · Aug 28

A quick word on today's ONS household cost indices which are the key metric for inflation experience across different household groups. Key takeaway from this morning's data (to June) is that inflation for poorer families is once again picking up...

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Molly Broome @mollybroome.bsky.social · Jul 31

New workplace pension participation statistics were published this morning, revealing that certain groups remain at greater risk of heading into retirement with insufficient savings. Here’s what you need to know 🧵

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · Jul 31

I had such a good time going to Orkney one summer. 18 degrees was a hot day.

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Prof Ruth Patrick @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social · Jul 11

Some heatwave weekend reading on why devolution needs to be talked about more in connection with the disability social security cuts.

@lsepoliticsblog.bsky.social blog w/ @safety-nets.bsky.social colleagues @haylesben.bsky.social @sionedps.bsky.social

blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...

Labour’s social security reforms ignore devolution - British Politics and Policy at LSE

The Goverment's social security reforms ignore the fact that they will have different consequences depending on which part of the UK one lives in.

blogs.lse.ac.uk

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Alex Clegg @alexclegg.bsky.social · Jul 10

The DWP published this year's stats on households impacted by the two-child limit today, which include some welcome new breakdowns on gender and ethnicity, receipt of health/disability benefits, conditionality group, and whether households are affected by the benefit cap. Quick thread/

www.gov.uk

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · Jul 9

Which is what makes the Wealth Tax Commission's work so good. Two lawyers and one economist as authors.

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Mike Brewer @mikebrewerecon.bsky.social · Jul 9

And the other parties are different from this how?

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Justin Myers @theguyliner.bsky.social · Jul 7

20 years ago today, a bomb exploded on a bus at Tavistock Square. I was there. This is what happened:

The Seventh

I am not supposed to be here. That’s almost all I can think as I run as fast as I can away from Tavistock Square. It is 7 July 2005. I am not supposed to be here. I am supposed to be at work. I nev…

theguyliner.com

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Ruth Curtice @ruthcurtice.bsky.social · Jul 1

The latest u-turn looks to be removing all PIP changes from the bill. Remaining net savings in the crucial year for fiscal rules of....about zero. Doesn't mean the bill is nothing though: still very important changes to, and a sensible rebalancing of, universal credit (with savings in future years)

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · Jun 30

Surprised & saddened to see this happen to Abrdn Financial Fairness Trust - they have supported vital work on debt, pensions, tax & much else.

www.thetimes.com/article/7d69...

Aberdeen under fire after ousting financial charity’s board

The chief executive and all ten independent trustees of Abrdn Financial Fairness Trust were removed in shift away from funding research

www.thetimes.com

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Reposted by Mike Brewer

Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · Jun 30

There’s a lot more than PIP cuts going on that risks being drowned out by that row

Thread & mini-report by @resfoundation.bsky.social’s resident expert on many other changes, good & bad, that cry out for attention

Louise Murphy @louisemurphy.bsky.social · Jun 30

As Parliament prepares to vote tomorrow on cuts to PIP and UC-Health, the Govt consultation on longer-term changes to the benefits system also closes.

A thread on the good, the bad and the messy included in the consultation...

www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

The good, the bad and the messy • Resolution Foundation

This week marks an important moment for this Government’s welfare reform plans: as Parliament prepares to vote on major legislation to make cuts to PIP and UC-Health, the consultation on longer-term c...

www.resolutionfoundation.org

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